Fishing apparatus for warning signaling a fisherman are well known in the art. One object of these apparatus is to free a fisherman of the boredom of waiting for fish to strike at his bait. Another object is to allow the fisherman to use more than a single fishing rod. Another object is to allow a fisherman to perform other tasks such as hooking baits while waiting for a fish to strike. Another object is to allow a fisherman to identify a fishing rod, especially at night, which has been a subject of a nibble or bite.
Numerous drawbacks exist among the warning devices of prior art. Many are simple bells which are incapable of distinguishing between fishing rods. Some have low levels of sensitivity. Thus, opportunities are lost because fishermen have not been alerted in sufficient time to a nibble or strike at a bait. Others are unreliable because of contamination and corrosion. Still others will not accommodate a range of styles and diameters of fishing rods. Still others cannot be used with existing reels and poles. Still others must be reset after every strike.
Still others lack adjustments for levels of sensitivity. Sensitivity adjustments are essential to compensate for differences in fishing conditions and weight. Still others are prohibitively costly. Still others impede castability by requiring actions such as resetting alarms, clipping fishing lines and closing switches during casting.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,814,900; 4,471,555; 4,541,195; 5,396,726; and 5,867,931 are exemplary of signaling devices in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 2,814,900 discloses a signaling device on the side of a fishing reel. When a fish strikes a fishing line, an electromagnet activates a light and/or buzzer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,471,555 discloses a signaling device suspended below a fishing rod. When a bite occurs, the tension in a fishing line closes an electrical circuit to activate a visual or aural warning.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,541,195 discloses a fish bite signaling device that is integral with a fishing rod. U.S. Pat. No. 5,396,726 discloses a fish bite signaling device mounted above a fishing rod having a visual signal which is activated by a micro switch. U.S. Pat. No. 5,867,931 discloses a fish strike signaling device having visual and audible signals activated by a switch.
None of the above references provide a means for mounting a signaling apparatus in surrounding relationship to a range of fishing rod diameters.